Retirement visa with/without COVID insurance?

[playboy]

Hi, I am currently on 2 months visiting wife visa.  I soon will apply for retirement visa at immigration.  After read on the forum about Covid insurance, some said yes do need and some said no!  On immigration hand out paper written in Thai side doesn’t say insurance but in English does say! Since I am already in Thailand , do I need to have Covid-19 insurance to apply for retirement visa in Thailand?
Thank you

[ubonjoe]

There is no requirement to have covid 19 insurance to apply for extensions of stay. It is only required to apply for a certificate of entry at a embassy or consulate.

Perhaps confusion with the  insurance requirement when applying for extension of stay based upon retirement of a entry done with a OA visa.

 

[playboy]

Hi Ubonjoe,  Since I am now at 2 months visa visiting wife and to convert to retirement visa here in Thailand is “apply for extensions of stay”, and I do not need Covid 19 insurance!  Thank you ????.  The immigration I talked to did not mention it neither but on the paper they handed it to me in Thai doesn’t mention but in English does.

[ubonjoe]

I assume you mean the handwritten mention of insurance if you entered with a non-oa visa.

[playboy]

Yes. ????????????????????????

[Peter Denis]

51 minutes ago, playboy said:

Hi, I am currently on 2 months visiting wife visa.  I soon will apply for retirement visa at immigration.

...

You are already in Thailand so there is definitely no need for covid-19 insurance irrespective of which Visa/Extension you will be applying for.

The only case in which IO would require you to have a health-insurance policy to cover 400K/40K in/out-patient would be when applying for a 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement. 

>> From what you write it is not clear for which type of Visa or extension you will be applying.

It is ONLY when you entered VisaExempt or on a Tourist Visa that you can apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa.  When you entered Thailand on a different type Visa (e.g. Non Imm O or Non Imm O-A) you can only apply for extensions of stay in accordance with the Visa-type on which you entered Thailand.

You are most probably now on a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your Thai wife.

And you will most probably apply for a 1-year extension of stay based on a Non Imm O Visa for reason of visiting your wife.  Be aware, that you need to meet the financial requirements for such application, and that - when opting for the funds-in-bank method - that this means you need to provide evidence of +400K on a personal Thai bank-account (a joint one with your wife is not accepted by IO) seasoned for at least 2 months at the moment of application.

[playboy]

34 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

You are already in Thailand so there is definitely no need for covid-19 insurance irrespective of which Visa/Extension you will be applying for.

The only case in which IO would require you to have a health-insurance policy to cover 400K/40K in/out-patient would be when applying for a 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement. 

>> From what you write it is not clear for which type of Visa or extension you will be applying.

It is ONLY when you entered VisaExempt or on a Tourist Visa that you can apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa.  When you entered Thailand on a different type Visa (e.g. Non Imm O or Non Imm O-A) you can only apply for extensions of stay in accordance with the Visa-type on which you entered Thailand.

You are most probably now on a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your Thai wife.

And you will most probably apply for a 1-year extension of stay based on a Non Imm O Visa for reason of visiting your wife.  Be aware, that you need to meet the financial requirements for such application, and that - when opting for the funds-in-bank method - that this means you need to provide evidence of +400K on a personal Thai bank-account (a joint one with your wife is not accepted by IO) seasoned for at least 2 months at the moment of application.

Hi, I will apply for retirement visa(extensions!).  I entered Thailand with 1 year marriage visa multiple entries from US and visa was expired on April.  I continued with amnesty stay and got 60 days visiting wife.  So I will apply for retirement visa (or retirement extensions!) very soon.  Just some confused of covid insurance which I understand that I don't need since I already in Thailand.  Thank you for replying.

[Maestro]

You do not need Covid insurance or any other kind of insurance for your application of extension of stay for the reason of retirement (retirement extension)

[playboy]

25 minutes ago, Maestro said:

You do not need Covid insurance or any other kind of insurance for your application of extension of stay for the reason of retirement (retirement extension)

Thank you.????

[Pib]

1 hour ago, playboy said:

Hi, I will apply for retirement visa(extensions!).  I entered Thailand with 1 year marriage visa multiple entries from US and visa was expired on April.  I continued with amnesty stay and got 60 days visiting wife.  So I will apply for retirement visa (or retirement extensions!) very soon.  Just some confused of covid insurance which I understand that I don't need since I already in Thailand.  Thank you for replying.

If you apply for a marriage extension of stay vs the retirement extension of stay you will not need the medical insurance coverage.  Quite a few folks over the last year with an underlying OA visa have switch from OA Retirement extension of stay to OA Marriage extension of stay.  I just did it last month myself.  when I went to CW (Bangkok) immigration to do my annual OA retirement extension (I had 11 of them under my belt) I instead switch to OA marriage extension in order to avoid the Thai medical insurance requirement especially since I have great home country insurance that also covers me worldwide.

 

I'm confused as to what type of visa you entered on/have....a Non O or Non OA.  If it was a Non-O medical insurance is not required, but if it is for a Non OA Retirement insurance would be required to extend.  But as mentioned switch the reason of stay from Retirement to Marriage and then no insurance is required. 

 

[Peter Denis]

32 minutes ago, Pib said:

...

I'm confused as to what type of visa you entered on/have....a Non O or Non OA.  If it was a Non-O medical insurance is not required, but if it is for a Non OA Retirement insurance would be required to extend.  But as mentioned switch the reason of stay from Retirement to Marriage and then no insurance is required. 

...

@playboy > You wrote I entered Thailand with 1 year marriage visa multiple entries from US and visa was expired on April.

When you entered on a 1-year Multiple Entry Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage, why don't you apply for the 1-year extension based on that Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage? The financial requirements for such 1-year extension for reason of marriage are lower than when applying for reason of retirement.

 

[Max69xl]

3 hours ago, playboy said:

Yes. ????????????????????????

And you don't have an O-A Long stay Visa, those can only be obtained in your home country. 

[playboy]

11 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

@playboy > You wrote I entered Thailand with 1 year marriage visa multiple entries from US and visa was expired on April.

When you entered on a 1-year Multiple Entry Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage, why don't you apply for the 1-year extension based on that Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage? The financial requirements for such 1-year extension for reason of marriage are lower than when applying for reason of retirement.

 

I was first going to do that but the process of certify documents, translations and stamping, going to Amphoe,  get 2 withnesses and then kor ror 22 and to immigration with witnesses again.  It's doable but retirement extension is more peaceable.  And when every things reopen normally next year(hopefully) I can get marriage visa at US consulate in US with my regular marriage certificate.

[playboy]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no requirement to have covid 19 insurance to apply for extensions of stay. It is only required to apply for a certificate of entry at a embassy or consulate.

Perhaps confusion with the  insurance requirement when applying for extension of stay based upon retirement of a entry done with a OA visa.

 

Hi,  is this retirement extensions is for 1year or 3 months?  And if apply as marriage extensions visa will be 1 year or 3 months visa?

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, playboy said:

Hi,  is this retirement extensions is for 1year or 3 months?  And if apply as marriage extensions visa will be 1 year or 3 months visa?

The extensions of stay for both them are for one year.

[playboy]

32 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The extensions of stay for both them are for one year.

Thank you ???????? 

[BobinBKK]

I am on my 3rd non-o 1 year extension based on retirement, no insurance required. Do NOT apply for the O-A retirement visa as that one does require insurance.

[Peter Denis]

3 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

I am on my 3rd non-o 1 year extension based on retirement, no insurance required. Do NOT apply for the O-A retirement visa as that one does require insurance.

The requirements when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on an original Non Imm O-A Visa or an original Non Imm O Visa are IDENTICAL.  With ONE exception > when applying for reason of retirement the Non Imm O-A based extension requires mandatory Thai IO-approved health-insurance, while a 1-year extension application for reason of retirement does NOT require such insurance.  Not: When applying for any other reason than retirement, the Non Imm O-A based extension does also nor require any mandatory insurance.

So when the 1-year extension of stay for reason of retirement of their original Non Imm O-A Visa is almost due, most O-A Visa holders planned to do a quick border run and after returning VisaExempt then apply for a 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement and subsequent extension.  Doing so they will have effectively dumped the mandatory insurance requirement by that switch to a Non Imm O Visa.  Note: Obviously with borders presently closed that solution is not available at the moment, so most of these Non Imm O-A Visa holders are now biting the insurance bullet (and opt for the cheapest throw-away policy, being the LMG Insurnce Plan-1 policy).

Then WHY the attraction of applying for the Non Imm O-A Visa in your home-country?  

Simple > Because that Visa can provide you with almost 2 years of IO hassle-free stay in Thailand.  And during those 2 years there is no need to apply (twice) for an annual extension at your local IO, nor is there any need to park/transfer funds to a Thai personal bank-account.  When occasionally visiting your home-country (e.g. once every 1.5 - 2 years) and applying then for a new Non Imm O-A Visa, there will NEVER be a need for you to do annual extensions at your local IO. For some retirees that face 'difficult' IOs or do not want to park/transfer funds to a thai bank-account that will sound like heavenly music.

 

[Max69xl]

On 10/17/2020 at 8:25 AM, playboy said:

I was first going to do that but the process of certify documents, translations and stamping, going to Amphoe,  get 2 withnesses and then kor ror 22 and to immigration with witnesses again.  It's doable but retirement extension is more peaceable.  And when every things reopen normally next year(hopefully) I can get marriage visa at US consulate in US with my regular marriage certificate.

"And when every things reopen normally next year(hopefully) I can get marriage visa at US consulate in US with my regular marriage certificate."

You can only apply for a 90 days Non-immigrant O Visa based on marriage in the US. If you're extending it another year at your local immigration office in Thailand, you still need a translated marriage affidavit from your embassy to get the Kor Ror 22 from your Amphur. 

[playboy]

Hi, just to let you know that I just got my retirement extensions(visa!) this morning.  No Covid insurance asked.  Just the regular items on the immigration requirement lists.  It took less than an hour and I got the stamp good tills October 2021.  Thank you for all helps ????